Binge Eating and Grief: Coping with Food

What is Binge Eating? 

Binge eating episodes occur when individuals consume an excessive amount of food, surpassing the point of fullness, within a short period of time. Typically, those who experience these episodes also exhibit a loss of control over their eating behaviours. Individuals who meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for Binge Eating Disorder (BED) have at least one binge eating episode per week and often experience other psychosocial impairments that constitute a clinically significant burden. Such effects may include impairments in reward processing and difficulty regulating emotions (Giel et al., 2022).

Here, it is important to distinguish between overeating and binge eating. Consuming a full bag of popcorn during a movie or having a few cookies before bed typically does not constitute a binge eating episode. On the other hand, eating an entire pack of cookies before bed and experiencing subsequent guilt is more likely to indicate a binge eating episode.

What is Grief?

Grief is the personal response to loss, which can be further complicated by the changes it brings to our lives. Loss doesn’t always imply death; grief can arise from a loved one falling ill, the anticipation of losing someone important, divorce, estrangement, or collective sorrow following natural disasters or atrocities. It’s crucial to recognize that any type of loss can lead to grief. 

Grief comes in many forms, and everyone’s grief process looks different. 

How are Grief and Binging Associated? 

Although grief and binge eating can exist independently, they can also co-exist. Grief can evoke a range of uncomfortable and distressing feelings. When individuals face emotional instability, they often turn to coping mechanisms to alleviate their pain and suffering. For some, these mechanisms include emotional eating or seeking solace in food. Research indicates that consuming food can enhance mood and alleviate discomfort by triggering our brain's reward pathways and eliciting happiness responses (Reichenberger et al., 2021). Therefore, during periods of emotional distress, food can serve as a coping mechanism.

While coping mechanisms are valuable for navigating challenging emotions, they can sometimes become maladaptive if they start to affect other aspects of one's life or pose risks to overall health. For instance, binge eating can pose significant health risks, including psychological problems such as increased rates of comorbid conditions like depression and anxiety, as well as physical problems like cardiovascular issues (Sheehan & Herman, 2015). 

What Can I Do? 

Woman hugging elderly woman with compassion after binge eating

Practice compassion: Remember, binge eating served an important purpose in helping you cope with distressing feelings. Criticizing yourself for "bad" behavior only heightens negative emotions including guilt and shame. Instead, attempt to forgive yourself for binge eating and offer yourself compassion. 

Develop self-awareness: Techniques such as body scanning and meditation are excellent for nurturing self-awareness and reducing stress. Enhancing self-awareness is crucial for effectively managing your emotions during difficult times. Remember, identifying the feeling is the first step towards activating alternative behaviors.

Social support: Research shows that social support can help reduce the impact of grief (e.g., Stroebe, 2008). Therefore, whatever form it takes for you—whether attending church, reaching out to friends, or visiting loved ones—surround yourself with people who uplift and support you during difficult times.

References

Giel, K. E., Bulik, C. M., Fernandez-Aranda, F., Hay, P., Keski-Rahkonen, A., Schag, K., Schmidt, U., & Zipfel, S. (2022). Binge eating disorder. Nature reviews. Disease primers, 8(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-022-00344-y

Reichenberger, J., Schnepper, R., Arend, A., Richard, A., Voderholzer, U., Naab, S., & Blechert, J. (2021). Emotional eating across different eating disorders and the role of body mass, restriction, and binge eating. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54(5), 773–784. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23477 

Sheehan, D. V., & Herman, B. K. (2015). The psychological and medical factors associated with untreated binge eating disorder. The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.14r01732 

Stroebe, W. (2008). Does social support help with marital bereavement? Bereavement Care, 27(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/02682620808657706